a good friend and indulgence

The weekend isn't even over yet, but I feel like I've had three good days of fun. Jillian was here. She came Friday afternoon, and we immediately plunged into the fiber frenzy that would overtake us the whole weekend. We started at the Sheep. Love that place. J loved the Fleece Artist roving.

Then we went back home, where I gave her the big bag of Rhinebeck goodness. The secret fiber? Bombyx silk/yak blend. She went "oooooh" and her eyes glazed over. I expect she'll give a fuller report on the contents of the bag when she arrives home. And she gave me my birthday present...a big BIG bag of Kiehl's products. Which she knew I'd wanted but would never buy myself. And they're so amazing that I will buy them myself from now on, because I now have skin that is as soft as babytushy and I will not give that up.

Friday night was burger and beer time at Quigley's -- a neighborhood classic that I've never actually gone to in all these years. They make good burgers. We had a funny waiter and sat next to an old guy who thought he was a sex god [long hair, open shirt and pointy cowboy boots] and his girlfriend.

Saturday? Lettuce Knit for more Fleece Artist Roving. First Markham Place for steamed buns, massive Totoro sightings and purchases and a visit to my favorite asian candy vendor. Pocky! And then...

Then. We drove north. Up up up hwy 404 till it ended, and we turned right...towards Mount Albert. Are you seeing where this is going? Yes. We actually got to visit the local holy grail of fiber fanatics: Gemini Fibres. They're usually only open during my work hours, during the week. But they said we could come up because they were having a class and we could shop along with the students once they were done.

Gemini is located in a large building on the same property as the owners' home, overlooking a pond. Beautiful, even in the rain, with the leaves glowing gold all around us, but we didn't much notice. We peeped in the door and saw THREE RACKS of hand spindles. They let us in, and the damage began.

J bought a Forrester granny, alpaca that had come from a four-legged beast named Rachelle, polwarth, and silk. I bought TWO SPINDLES [a Forrester pink stripy colorwork and a yellowheart linum] and a huge pile of undyed silk hankies for cheep.

What? J and A -- the girls who H.A.T.E. spindles -- bought spindles? Yes, we did. Something happened at Rhinebeck that made me realize I could love my spindle. [What? Read the next Knittyspin.] And J ordered a new Bosworth to join in the spindle party and found she doesn't hate them any more either.

Jillian is now the Spindlewarrior. Do not mess with her, because she is armed with wood and poky bits of metal and spun merino and she will kick your ass. And I am now the surprised spindle-loving silk ho™ who can't wait till Knitty comes out so I can tell you more about the hankie thing.

Oh, and my wheel? It came a while ago and I was scared to touch it, kinda. I broke its cherry last night. I like.

J is on a train now, headed west, listening to her iPod. The rabbits and I miss her already.